Peace and Quiet
by GuyTM
Summary: -Warning Life is Strange spoilers throughout- Arcadia has been destroyed. As far as she knows, Chloe is the only survivor of that twisted hurricane. Now everything has been taken from her. AU from LiS that I made (I think), enjoy!
1. Adrift

**Chapter 1 - Adrift**

Max glared at the six bottles lined on the rackety wooden shelf in front of her. It had seemed like a lifetime ago since she had last seen those bottles. Lined up the same way as back in American Rust with her best friend there beside her, impatiently waiting for the opportunity of testing Max's power. The thought of the punk chick filled Max with determination. She wouldn't, no couldn't allow Chloe to die ever again. This time it would be different, it had to be. Max took this chance to photograph the bottles, sliding out the trusty polaroid camera that Chloe had gifted to her essentially a week ago. After a click and a flash, the bottles shattered, just like what had happened once Chloe had shot the tire of the rusted old car causing a tremendous crash and caught the attention of Frank. A shiver shot down her spine at the thought of that moment, when she pulled the trigger, going blind with love for the punk. Coming back to reality, or well the closest to it for Max at this point, she continued onwards towards a familiar structure. A singular wooden bench, held together by two worn metal joints, next to a towering lighthouse overlooking the void in which she was contained. As Max approached the bench, memories from her whole life surged through her mind. Chloe and her when they were little pirates and the start of this crazy week stood out from the others. Max now just wished that this week would finally come to an end. With that thought she sat, resting gently against the familiar surface behind her, allowing time to progress. The environment around her started to shift, showcasing a comforting location. Chloe's living room. However with this Max's eyelids began to betray her and forced themselves shut. Urging to resist, Max fought the wave that had washed over her, but it was to no use. She fell, lifeless head landing on the other side of the bench.

Chloe stared down at the petite brunette that she held in her arms dearly. Swiping her own blue hair out of the way as it fell, not allowing her eyes to leave Max's body. Chloe limped over to the bench, where it had all started, setting Max down before allowing herself any comfort. The punk looked up at the tornado rapidly approaching the bay. _Not like this_ , Chloe hadn't wanted Arcadia to just end like this. She may have cursed it on the outside, but it was the only place she has ever known and the place where she was her happiest. True happiness, despite William passing away, Max leaving her for Seattle and finding Rachel dead at the junkyard. Arcadia Bay was still the only place that she could call home however shit it may be.

A sudden squirm from the brunette laid upon her lap whisked Chloe back to reality. Her eyes shooting open, eyebrows raised and a gasp escaping her mouth. Max was slowly fading, beginning with her feet, subtly disappearing into thin air. Panicked and confused, the punk freaked, scared for her friend unsure of what was taking place. She shook Max attempting to bring her around, but it was too late, the brunette had vanished. Just like that, in a matter of seconds, Chloe's whole world was gone. Taken from her just like everything else in her life. Why could it never just go her way? A harrowing scream pierced the whirring of the tornado, as it hit Arcadia, taking the rest of Chloe's life with it. The punk dropped to her knees, sobbing. _What did I do to ever deserve this_... This fucking town had taken everything from her and a part of her rejoiced at the sight of the tornado. But that gut wrenching feeling from all her loss tore at her more than anything. First William, then Rachel and now Max and the rest of fucking Arcadia Bay. _Why haven't you just ended me yet_... Chloe laid, curled on the wet mud continuing to weep as the tornado ravaged the town.


	2. Desolation

**Chapter 2 - Desolation**

Chloe drove, embracing the open road ahead of her. The coastal road illuminated by the sun, now high in the sky, with an abundance of trees to her right. The ocean breathing ominously out there on her left, with the only way to go, being forward or back. A couple of giggles emanated from the other side of the cab in Chloe's truck, drawing her attention. Chloe turned her head to spy two girls, of similar age to her. Each similar in height, but one with long flowing blonde hair and a distinctive blue feather earring hanging from her left ear. The other with short brown hair with her body draped in a grey hoodie. Chloe halted the car at this sight, jaw hanging not letting her eyes leave the two passengers.

"Hello Chloe" these softly spoken words projected from Rachel Amber, the Girl who Chloe had seen dead just a few days ago. Something she could never accept Rachel was _her_ angel. Absorbing the words Chloe stared at the Girl in front of her, trying to hold back the tears. To no avail, a singular tear ran down her right cheek.

"R-Rachel…" Chloe spat the words out trying not to choke on her emotions. The blonde reached over bringing Chloe in an all too familiar embrace. She wished this would last forever. Chloe drew back, faltering as she realised Max was there too. "Oh Max, w-what happened?" faltering as she said this only just noticing she had been holding her breath.

Max didn't respond, allowing her actions to talk for her. She leaned towards Chloe planting a small but calming kiss on her cheek. Chloe sniffled. Something was different, as if with this a weight had been lifted. Her anxiety just seemed to melt away with Max's touch. Slowly with this, the environment outside the car started to wash away, colours running into each other as if sinking away into a drain. Chloe stared out the window at this phenomenon. Once there was just a void Chloe turned back. She erupted into tears at the sight. Sat there next to her, a larger male figure. Short blonde hair, with a gracious smile across his face. Chloe felt a hand press against her shoulder. Gathering the courage, she looked up at the figure. William sat next to Chloe bringing her in for a long overdue hug. Chloe tried to resist as she already knew how all of these encounters ended ever since that day.

"W-why. Why are you here now?" Chloe shot at her father. Trying to challenge him for once, get some answers. Although she knew it wouldn't work, but she had to try. "You will find out soon Chloe. Just don't forget us…" With this William glanced back towards where the road had once been. Chloe curled up weeping. _Why me?_

Chloe's eyes fluttered open, she shot her arms down against the damp mud. Her head swirled, vision going blurry as she sat up. She felt strange. As if some deep burden that she has been carrying has finally been put to rest. The punk inspected her environment, finding herself back at the lighthouse in Arcadia. _The hurricane._ Chloe peered over at the bay, her heart shattered at the sight. Arcadia Bay has been wiped from the face of the Earth. Buildings flattened or now non-existent all over the city. Everything she has ever known. Gone. All within a couple of hours. Chloe forced herself to her feet and steadily made her way back down the hill, for what she thought would be the last time.

The rusted old pickup truck cruised through the ghost town. It came to a steady stop outside a wreckage of white, with half of a blue wooden sign sticking out from the rubble. Thousands of memories surged through her mind at the sight. Chloe and Max enjoying all sorts of meals when they were younger, times with Rachel after their original eventful week. The sight of the two whales like this shook Chloe to her core. One thought then emanated in her mind. Joyce. The punk scrambled for the car door unbuckling her seatbelt as she slid out of the truck. As if she was possessed she head for the rubble. Heaving slab after slab of fallen and rusted metal.

After twenty minutes or so, Chloe stopped. Fatigue and panic encasing her. She couldn't believe it. She refused to. This must just be a nightmare. There was no way in hell that she could have lost countless amounts of things that she loved in just hours, maybe even minutes now she pondered it. Chloe crouched for a while next to the former two whales, thinking of her mother and how she wished she would have shown her the affection she truly felt towards her. The punk raised slowly, knowing that nothing she could do would change this and left the two whales and Joyce in peace and quiet.

As the bluenette pulled along her street, she couldn't help but notice the wooden planks scattered along each plot of land, with squished shapes reminiscing their former structure. Chloe stopped outside one mess of a building in particular. Her mess. Her entire childhood and teen years spent here flood through her mind. Why was this happening, why now? Finding the wood easier to shift than the eroded metal, Chloe started to uncover remaining contents of her house. She was able to salvage once of David's guns with plenty of ammunition and a picture of herself and Max dressed up as pirates, smiling away at the camera. The photo brought tears streaming down her face. _Damn it Max. Why did you leave me too?_

With nothing left here for her, Chloe left without hesitation. She travelled again along the coastal road back towards town, but cutting off before the bay. As she turned the corner, passing the rusted metal gate Chloe noticed the sun beginning to fall below the horizon, bringing an end to the day. She turned back, leaving her truck and now facing her so called home away from hell. The punk strode towards the concrete block by the train tracks. Chloe entered through the large door shaped hole in the front and then covered it back over with a large slab of wood and metal.

Now alone in a place where she could rest before finally leaving Arcadia for real, Chloe slouched down onto the makeshift bed that she and Rachel had created what seems like a lifetime ago. As she laid down against the cold surface tears erupted down her face once more. With this the sun finally disappeared below the horizon leaving Chloe in the dark and quiet. And she slowly found herself drifting to sleep...


End file.
